Culture criticism unfair: Ricky Ponting

The widespread criticism of Australia's cricket culture following last month's ball-tampering scandal in South Africa is rather exaggerated, former captain Ricky Ponting said on Thursday.

Cricket Australia (CA) has slapped 12-month bans on Steve Smith and David Warner, while suspending Cameron Bancroft, who was caught using a piece of sandpaper on the ball in the Cape Town Test, for nine months following the controversy which rocked cricket in Australia.

The fallout prompted Darren Lehmann to step down as the coach while many, including South Africa coach Ottis Gibson, felt Australia paid price for their win-at-all-costs mentality.

(AAP)

"The cultural issue for me is really an interesting thing," Ponting, head coach of the Delhi Daredevils team in the Indian Premier League (IPL), told a news conference.

"Because if we wind the clock back just a couple of months, when Australia won the Ashes like they did, there was no talks about cultural problems or issues whatsoever," he said.

"I honestly feel on this occasion the cultural stuff that's been spoken about has probably been blown out of proportion to a certain degree."